THE INMATES - HEATWAVE IN ALASKA (1982)

According to AMG, "Heatwave In Alaska" doesn't even exist. Although the third and last of the Radar/WEA Inmates albums has never been released in England, it was available across the channel in 1982. About half of the album was included on the Inmates "Dirty Water" compilation (2001). This was the last Inmates album with the classic line-up just before Bill Hurley was replaced with Barrie Masters (two albums in 1984). After a brief solo career, Bill Hurley will join again in 1987 for the "Meet The Beatles" LP and further releases. The Inmates were produced by Stuart Colman and helped out by the Rumour brass section. They play seven originals and five covers (including "On The Beat", a Difford-Tilbrook song).

Songs
She's Gone Rockin' / Something About You / Long Distance Man / Broken Hearted / You Can Bet (A Broken Heart) / Remember, I've Been Good To You / Three Little Sisters / Unhappy Boy / Yeah Yeah Yeah / On The Beat / Who's Foolin' Who / Send Some Of Your Loving (My Way)

WOOFING COOKIES - HORSE GUM TORTILLA SHOES (1986)

Scott, Joe, Len and Chad were the Woofing Cookies, a New-York based quartet who released one full length album on Midnight Records. Prior to this LP, they had recorded two singles, the second one "In The City" being produced by Peter Buck. Their music had all the basic ingredients of classic pop, catchy melodies, memorable hooks ("Plain Truth"), and a good beat. Read myspace for more.

Songs
Plain Truth / Johnny's Dead / State Of Adventure / Lying / Girl Next Door / Leave It All Behind / Blue Rose / New Song / Soundcheck / Thank You / TBA / Like Us

THE CORTINAS - TRUE ROMANCES (1978)

The Cortinas were a Bristol band with an average age of 16. They released two essential singles -"Fascist Dictator/Television Families" (1977) and "Defiant Pose/Independence" (1977). The future looked rosy supporting the likes of The Stranglers, Blondie and Chelsea etc and a good set list of songs including 'Gloria', 'Tokyo Joe' & Pose. Signed up for Step Forward (Miles Copeland label). However opinions at the time were divided about them and their commitment and they got some rough treatment in certain fanzines and the press which tended to focus unfairly on the way they looked. Signing to CBS was the death knell with an album and single that sank without trace. By then however they had already split up. Daniel Swann moved to California where he played with The Sneetches while Nick Sheppard joined The Clash for the "Cut The Crap" album and then left for Australia. Source

Songs
Heartache / I Don't Really Want To Get / Ask Mr. Wavely / Youth Club Dance / First I Look At The Purse / Radio Rape / Tribe Of The City / Have It With You / I Trust Valerie Singleton / Broken Not Twisted / Take That Light Away/ Further Education /I'll Keep My Distance

Bonus
Fascist Dictator / Television Families (SF 1)
Defiant Pose / Independence (SF 6)

ROCKPILE - I HEAR YOU ROCKING (Bottom Line '79) (1991)

"I Hear You Rocking", is a live recording of Rockpile, taken from the same source as the "Washington" bootlegs, at the New-York Bottom Line Club. The Robert Plant track is from the Kampuchea live album. The song titles on the sleeve are totaly misinterpreted - i fixed this below but the scans of the sleeve weren't reworked (it has to be read just to believe it). This is an unofficial CD.

Songs
Down Down Down / So It Goes / I Knew The Bride / Deborah / I Love The Sound Of Broken Glass / No More Mr Nice Guy / It's My Own Business / Trouble Boys / Let it Rock (with Keith Richards) / Promised Land / I Hear You Knocking / They Called It Rock / Juju Man / Heart Of The City / Little Sister (with Robert Plant)

TRIBUTE TO THE FAB FOUR - A HARD D... N... (2007)

Third part of the Fab Four Experience. This was their third album but also their first release filled with 13 original songs. This was the peak of the Beatlemania sound covered by some well known artists, but also by other bands you might like to dig.

Songs
A Hard Day's Night (Hoodoo Gurus) / I Should Have Known Better (Limelight) / If I Fell (William Pears) / I'm Happy Just to Dance With You (Sun PK) / And I Love Her (Brian Elliot Wahlen) / Tell Me Why (The Punkles) / Can't Buy Me Love (Gonzo Salvage Company) / Any Time at All (Blue Ash) / I'll Cry Instead (The Meatles) / Things We Said Today (The Sneakers) / When I Get Home (Ross Rice) / You Can't Do That (The Blow Pops) / I'll Be Back (Pat DiNizio)

TRIBUTE TO THE FAB FOUR - WITH THE B...S (2007)

Ten months after the first LP, "With The B...s" was a sequel of the highest order with an equal ratio of covers-to-originals. The legendary photo sleeve will remain one the best ever made, many times copied (slightly revamped here). Again, 13 artists cover the full-length album, the 14th (Devil In His Heart by The Donays) being the original version of the song covered by the Fab Four.

Notes
"It Won"t Be Long" was covered by The Quick in 1976 and later by Redd Kross using the arrangements originally made by The Quick.
Dwight Twilley's "Money" is the 12" promo version, different from the one that can be found on the CD reissue of the "Twilley/Scuba Divers" (Raven Records).

Songs
It Won’t Be Long (The Quick) / All I’ve Got To Do (Moon Martin) / All My Loving (Nick Heyward) / Don’t Bother Me (Cotton Mather) / Little Child (The Meatles) / Till There Was You (The Smithereens) / Please Mister Postman (Dudes) / Roll Over Beethoven (Cub Koda) / Hold Me Tight (The Hurriganes) / You Really Got A Hold On Me (Terrorvision) / I Wanna Be Your Man (The Eyes) / Devil In His Heart (The Donays) / Not A Second Time (Backbeat) / Money (Dwight Twilley)

TRIBUTE TO THE FAB FOUR - PLEASE PLEASE ME (2007)

Forty five years ago, "Please Please Me" was recorded in a day. Decades after its release, the album which still sounds fresh as ever (e.g. the Flamin' Groovies covered 3 songs from this LP) is reloaded by 14 artists from today and yesterday. There were "8" originals plus "6" covers showing the Moptops influences and their superior musical taste. A PPC compilation.

Songs
I Saw Her Standing There (The Smithereens) / Misery (Flamin' Groovies) / Anna (Go To Him) (Roger McGuinn) / Chains (The Everly Brothers) / Boys (The Gain) / Ask Me Why (Je Suis Fou D'elle) (Les Lionceaux) / Please Please Me (Seventeen) / Love Me Do (Marshall Crenshaw) / P.S. I Love You (The Rattles) / Baby It's You (The Last) / Do You Want To Know A Secret (Billy J.Kramer & The Dakotas) / A Taste Of Honey (The Hollies) / There's A Place (Wicz) / Twist And Shout (The Orchestra)

THE DIODES - RELEASED (1979)

The Diodes were the first Canadian punk band signed to a major label. Signed by Columbia, the Diodes released their debut self-titled album in 1977. Columbia released the more oriented powerpop second album, "Released", on its Epic subsidiary two years later, but not so poor sales of both albums led the label to drop the band's contract. Although they relocated to England after releasing their third album, "Action/Reaction", on the independent Orient label, the move came late to save the band. They disbanded shortly after, releasing an album of outtakes and demos, "Survivors", in 1982. Then, after 6 years of legal wrangling, Alfonso and The Diodes finally convinced Sony Canada to release a compilation CD "Tired Of Waking Up Tired" in 1998. But whereas the first album was fully remastered on the CD, two songs of the second LP were replaced on the CD compilation by alternate versions, so the original "Released" has never been fully reissued. AMG

Notes from Ralph Alfonso (producer of the CD Reissue)
Merceneray Flight & Terminal Rock were replaced with the original live in the studio demos as they were better versions. We would have loved to have remixed this album as it's a great power pop album but Sony lost the 24 track masters. To set the record straight, the band's first album sold very well (hence = second album). The problem was, the US company passed on the first album and then passed on the second album (if you read the Hit Men book, you will see that CBS USA at the time was not into releasing foreign acts) saying it sounded like the Bay City Rollers or some other excuse. Shut out of the world's biggest market, CBS Canada let the band go (a far cry from what would later happen in the 80s when Canadian labels finally nurtured a Canadian scene - not the case in the 70s, sadly). More stuff on the band at: myspace.com/thediodes. thanks

Songs
Red Rubber Ball / Teenage Nation / Photographs from Mars / Madhouse / Mercenary Flight / Tired of Waking Up Tired / Jenny's in a Sleep World / Weekend / No Right to Make Me Bleed / Terminal Rock

TONY PERKINS - LUCKY RAY Part 1 (2002)

Tony Perkins is the real name of the well-known popster Martin Luther Lennon. After his four-track contribution to Not Lame's "Sympophony #1" (1995) and two albums released by Not Lame "Music For A World Without Limitations" (1996) and "Escape To Paradox Island" (1999), all out-of-print items (but a few copies are still available from Jam Records), Tony Perkins released this limited edition CD EP in 2002 with a little help from Mike Randle (Baby Lemonade). Some songs of this rare EP were included on the spanish compilation "Redux" released by Rock Indiana.

Songs
The Manchurian Candidate (In You) / The Birds Have Taken Over The World / Eric's Worm Food / Lucky Ray / George Winston Smith / Sweet Coroner

GIGOLO AUNTS - TALES FROM THE VINEGAR SIDE (1990)

The Gigolo Aunts took their name from the Syd Barrett song, the outfit is fronted by brothers Phil and Steve Hurley with vocalist/guitarist Dave Gibbs and drummer Phil Brouwer. After their first album "Everybody's Happy" released in 1988, they released in 1990 the rare LP "Tales From The Vinegar Side". The album featured 11 songs (10 originals and a cover). The opening song being a cover of the Chris Bell classic "I Am The Cosmos". Dave Gibbs resurfaced as Velvet Crush's second guitarist in the early '90s, but returned full-time to his own group as its career began heating up abroad.

Songs
I Am The Cosmos / Down On Me / It Takes A Little Bit Of Time / Bako Jr / Nervousness / The Vinegar Side / Come Down #4 / That Just Goes To Show Ya / Pretty Perspire / Home Of The Brave

GO FOUR 3 - SIX FRIENDS (1987)

Originally called "The Debutantes", "Go Four 3" (an airforce term meaning 'landing on an aircraft carrier': on scope, on target, perfect landing) formed in Vancouver in 1983 and became a staple of that city's live scene when they were discovered in 1985 by Zulu Records. Their six song self-titled EP in 1985 was produced by Rob Obvious. The EP sold 1500 copies and went Top-5 on most campus radio stations across Canada. Following their 5th cross Canada tour they recorded their 1987 follow-up LP "Six Friends" for Zulu. At the request of management in the UK the band changed its name to "Thrill Squad" ("It's Party Time" & "Here Comes Tomorrow"). Then vocalist Roxanne Heichert and guitarist Stephen Quinn formed "The Irises". They released the album "Not Good In Bed" (2002) which features a mixture of highly textured lush guitar sounds, harmonium, Hammond B3 (and some guitars) going through Leslie speakers, and is topped by Roxanne’s gorgeous yet haunting voice.

Songs
This Time / Save Me / Kaleidoscopes / Colour Of Money / Right From Wrong / Round At Number One / One Stop Behind / Rope / Someone / Africa Mine / Seventh Victim / Another World

REDD KROSS - 2.500 REDD KROSS CAN'T BE WRONG (1994)

"2.500 Redd Kross Fans Can't Be Wrong" was a 10" limited edition each individually numbered. At the time of its release , some of the tracks were only available on this 10" EP.

Songs
Any Hour, Every Day / Switchblade Sister / What's Wrong With Me / Trance/ Byrds and Fleas / Huge Wonder

ONE THE JUGGLER - NEARLY A SIN (1984)

Though their appearance was that of a band of gypsies, "One The Juggler" were a musical marriage of Bowie-esque glam, eccentric folk and melodic pub rock (with a bit of The Only Ones thrown in for good measure). "Nearly Sin", their debut album, was recorded over a 2 year period and featured all of their single A-sides up to that point, plus some brand new tracks. "Passion Killer", "Damage Is Done", "Django's Coming" and "Are You The One?" were all fantastic singles and fit perfectly in amongst plenty of other like-minded tracks. "Enjoy Yourself" is a great album opener, kicking into "Mr. Wolf", which careens into "Passion Killer", and then the album never really lets up. It's a strange trip, and one that does not seem that it would have had the commercial push that it did in the UK. Albums like this are made for music fans, not for new wave kids (it flopped, no surprise). Within a year of the release of the second album "Some Strange Fashion" produced by Mick Ronson, Rokko, Lushi, and Trimmer had split and One the Juggler were just a memory.AMG

Lossless: FLAC 8 (326 mb)

Songs
Enjoy Yourself / Mr Wolf / Passion Killer / (O, No) You're Not The Same / Sister Soul / Junkie For Love / Blind Old Senator / A Minor EFF / Barnaby / Damage Is Done / Django's Coming / Patience Of A Saint / Are You The One? / Damage Reprise

DUDES - WE'RE NO ANGELS (1975)

When the early-'70s US pop/rock group known as the Wackers fell apart, two of its former members, bassist Bill Trochim and guitarist Bob Segarini, decided to come up with their own creation, the Dudes. The duo brought the founding members of April Wine (Ritchie Henman and David Henman), and future April Wine guitarist Brian Greenway. All of the guys helped out with the vocals. In 1975, the Dudes recorded a debut album, "We're No Angels", released by CBS. The result was one hit single, "I Just Wanna Dance". Before the recording of a sophomore offering could get under way, most of the members moved on to other endeavors. Segarini carried on, completing another EP, "Starlight". It was a last offering before he formed the Segarini band. In 1997 Pacemaker Records would release an excellent retrospective rarities collection called "All The Young Dudes, All The Old Demos". AMG

Songs
Saturday Night / Fuel Injection / I Just Wanna Dance / Lylee Lady / Deeper and Deeper / Dancin' Shoes / Got Me Where You Want Me / My Mind's on You / Rock & Roll Debutante / We're No Angels / Saturday Night (Reprise)

THE NEIGHBORS - WELCOME WAGON (1987)

In 1985, John Moremen, Scott McKnight and Steve Woehrle were in a group called Punch Me Judy. Then Pete Gilstrap joined up for the experience that was to be, in a basement in Arlington, Virginia.They deemed themselves Herschel's Neighbors, Days later, they played at a club in Washington, DC calling themselves Bag 85. Only months later, the band now called The Neighbors, entered the Arlington studio of Don Zientara called Inner Ear to record the album "Famous Potatoes" which would see release on a small french label (Closer). Later there were tours and gigs with Roy Orbison, NRBQ, Marshall Crenshaw, The dB's and others too wonderfully obscure to mention. Then, under the managerial guidance of a man named John Rowny, more action came. More tours and a second album, "Welcome Wagon" from a small label in New York (Upside). It burst forth in 1987. The label soon went out of business. Yet strength within the group remained. New songs were written, crappy jobs were attended to. Bass player Scott McKnight recorded the band on four-track (or was it an 8-track?). The outcome was "Masterpiece" tape, musically God-like but commercially ignored. Time passed and in 1989 The Neighbors split up. None of the Neighbors albums have been reissued on CD but in 1996 the spanish label Bam Balam released "Power Pop Art" a compilation of the first two LP's + the 3rd unreleased. Then, John Moremen moved to San Francisco joined Jimmy Silva's band, played drums & guitar with Allen Clapp & The Orange Peels on the "So Far" CD and is still active. Scott McKnight released "It Works For Me" in 2000 a double CD of home recordings. (Peter Gilstrap)

Notes from Scott McKnight
The original band mixes of Welcome Wagon were shelved by Upside (the record company) in favor of mixes supervised by Upside. In some ways the Upside mixes were considered superior. In some ways, not. The tunes from Welcome Wagon and Famous Potatoes which appear on the Power Pop Art CD were remixed for that CD using mid-'90s gear rather than the mid-'80s gear used originally. The mixes of Welcome Wagon tunes on the CD are closer to the band's original vision than those that appeared on the album, as released. Not all of the tunes from Welcome Wagon and Famous Potatoes appear on the CD. Good luck finding the CD.

Songs
Shadow Of A Fool / Will You Ever Come Down / Valerie / Everyone's Got One / Lovin' Tonight / I Don't Wanna Say Bye-Bye / Burst Your Bubble / Two Ninety Eight / You Like A Good Rumble / I'm Right / Heaven / Inside And Out / Make It Alone / Welcome Wagon

THE SUMMER SUNS (1985 - 1996)

As these songs are now officially available on the "Greatest Hits" CD, the link has been removed. You can purchase it at Not Lame or at Kool Kat.

Between 1985 and 1996, Kim Williams and the Summer Suns released one cassette (later reissued in the USA on a 10"), a limited edition LP of 1.000 ("Calpurnia"), a six-song CD ("Bedbugs") and five singles. Here are these fab five.
After a long hiatus, Kim Williams played with the White Shallows and released a new album in 2005 "Audio Erotic Fidelity" (on which can be heard a new and garage version of a "Calpurnia" song "Love In Stone").
Note: Three have been ripped by myself, the other two were given by George from the excellent Powerpop Wordpress.

Honeypearl [Easter KIM 18] ('85)
Honeypearl / Rachel-Anne

The Summer Suns are:
Kim Williams / Dom Mariani / Gary Chambers



All Away [Waterfront DAMP 118] ('89)
All Away / Mexican Restaurant

The Summer Suns are:
Kim Williams / Dom Mariani / Martin Moon / Steve Kyme


The Angel Angeline [House Of Wax HOW 004] ('94)
The Angel Angeline / Samantha

The Summer Suns are:

Kim Williams / Dom Mariani / Pascal Bartalone / Tony Italiano / Ian Campbell

She Understands [Bus Stop BUS 043] ('95)
She Understands / Everyday Girl

The Summer Suns are:
Kim Williams / Joe Algeri / Pascal Bartalone / Simon Hensworth / Martin Moon

Another Carrie Anne [Parasol PAR 023] ('96)
Another Carrie Anne / Honeypearl '95

The Summer Suns are:
Kim Williams / Joe Algeri / Pascal Bartalone / Simon Hensworth

DWIGHT TWILLEY - DWIGHT ON WHITE (1979)

"Dwight On White" was available in the UK on a 12" white vinyl. Released in 1979, the EP picked six songs from the first three Twilley albums (two from each). The EP is now famous because of the sleeve which should have been used for the "Blueprint" unreleased album (see post below). As these versions are similar to the album versions, the post is only available in a 192 bitrate.

Shelter 12XWIP 6502
I'm On Fire / TV / Runaway / Looking For The Magic / Standing In The Shadow Of Love / Sleeping

DWIGHT TWILLEY - BLUEPRINT (1979)

The next era of Twilley’s solo career was marked by a relatively large number of recordings, the overwhelming majority of which would never see the light of day. This period included one of two completely unreleased albums in Twilley’s career. From 1979 until the very last months in 1981, Twilley worked on the follow-up album to "Twilley" for Arista. Entitled "Blueprint", the album was originally finished by Sept. 24, 1979, and actually appeared on Arista’s new release sheets in May 1980 with the number AB4251 assigned to it. The Blueprint album exists in three versions, the one found on the blog is the Noah Shark & Max version, but there are two more versions with different songs. Read the Full Story here. Dwight Twilley made some tapes of "Blueprint" for friends at the time, but it never truly existed as an ‘album' except on cassette.

Notes
The rip was provided by our "secret agent man" in Seattle. During the 80's, he got the tape (unknown generation) from a guy working at Rykodisc. He digitized the tape and sent us a 192 rip of the "Blueprint" songs. I only posted the Noah Shark mix because the other versions i have are not complete according to the official Twilley website. I made the artwork based upon the notes found on the official Twilley website. That means the front sleeve comes from my "Dwight On White" 12" EP, but as i've never seen the photo intended for the back of the album, i made one of my own.

Blueprint 9/79 version
Somebody To Love / I Love You So Much (version one) / She’s All My Light / Just Like You Did It Before / Dancer / Money / Then We Go Up / Leave Me Alone With My Baby / I Found The Magic” (version one) / Cryin’ Over Me

Blueprint '80 version
Rock Yourself, Son / Sky Blue / Shark (In The Dark) /Baby's Got The Blues Again / Tiger Eyes / It's So Amazing / Then We Go Up / She's All My Light / Cryin' Over Me / Somebody To Love / Money

Blueprint '81 version
10,000 American Scuba Divers Dancin' / Dion Baby / I Found The Magic / Then We Go Up / Cryin' Over Me / Sky Blue / Somebody To Love / Love You So Much / Just Like You Did It Before / Living in the City / Leave Me Alone With My Baby

THE THINGS - THINGS (1988)

Coming from La Habra, Ca, The Things were fronted by Steve Crabtree who wrote most of the songs. They have released three albums Coloured Heaven (1984), Outside My Window (1986) and this eponymous third one (1988).

Note
The rip was made by George from the powerpop.wordpress blog, one of the best blog around posting some really great and rare powerpop stuff. He sent me the scans of the sleeve and i stitched the parts.

Songs
What Was Said Last Night / It Doesn't Have To Be Real / Who'll Jump The Gun / Before The Storm / Under Her Spell / Here Comes Her / Sidewalk Lover / Come Join The Working Class / Hey, Hey, Hey (It'll Be Something To See) / No Feeling Man

WALTER CLEVENGER & THE DAIRY KINGS
TWO NIGHTS IN CHAPEL HILL (2005)

In 2005 at Sparklefest in Chapel Hill, NC, Walter and the Dairy Kings had two shows. They played a lot of originals and a bunch of tasty covers (Nick Lowe, Beatles, NRBQ, Terry Anderson, Elvis Costello). The best thing you have to do is to support him and buy his official albums.

Night One (March 22)
Yesterday's News / Another Lie / Jonathan Doe / Fast As I Can / Hold On Tight / Miss Independence / Not Gonna Bend / I'm So Tired / Love Don't Mean Anything / Radio Radio / Burned / Radio Sea / Switchboard Susan / C'mon Dixie / Battleship Chains

Night Two (March 23)
And Your Bird Can Sing / Miss Independence / I Can't Dance / Jonathan Doe / Hold On Tight / You Can't Hide / Real / Supermarket Checkout Queen / Radio Radio / Half A Boy And Half A Man

WALTER CLEVENGER - POP GOES THE MUSIC (1995)

I bought this tape at the time of its release. I transferred it to cd as soon as i was able to. Here are the notes written by Walter Clevenger himself on his website. Don't forget, this is Pure Pop For Now People. The tape was a limited edition of 250 and is now out of print, and never reissued on cd.

Album Notes
"Back in about 1993, I had purchased an 8-track reel-to-reel recording deck. As ideas for songs came to me, I would just get them on tape. I was doing this for two reasons, the main reason was to learn how to use the deck, and the second was to try my hand at songwriting. I had never really forced myself to try and write. As the months went by, I eventually finished about 14 songs. In 1995, I decided to make tapes to give out to friends and family. Thinking I'd have the tapes sitting in my closet forever, I only had 250 copies made. Well, a few copies got into the right hands, some positive review were written, and all the tapes were gone in a couple of months. And rest, they say, is history. While recording, I had friends come over and help me out. Henry helped out on bass, Danny Walker on guitar, bass and vocals, and Bryan Shaddix on guitar." (walterclevenger.com)

In 1997, his first album "The Man With The X.Ray Eyes" was released on Permanent Press with some reworked versions of the "Pop Goes The Music" tape, 1999 saw the release of "Love Songs To Myself", recorded as Walter Clevenger & The Dairy Kings and released again on Permanent Press. After Permanent Press closed their doors, Walter Clevenger self released "Around The Corner", compilation of three-to-come albums. To this very day, only one of the 3 albums has been released "Full Tilt & Swing" (2003). So, "The Country Album" and "Trials & Tribute-lations" (a compilation of all the tribute tracks done as well as some unreleased demos) should be released soon.

Songs
Angels / Love You Like A King / Down To The River / I Gotta Feeling / My Little Girl / I Wanna Know / X-ray Eyes / Nothing At All / Yesterday Come Back / Give Me A Chance / Complicated / Everything Forever / My Phone Message / I Don't Like Your Face (Just Git)

CHOO CHOO TRAIN - THE BRIAR ROSE E.P. (1988)

Comprised of members Ric Menck (drums, vocals) and Paul Chastain (guitar, bass, vocals), Choo Choo Train released in 1988 this follow-up to their first single "This Perfect Day"). Along their first single, the band only issued a pair of EPs during their short career, "Briar Rose" and "High", which were later combined on the 1988 very rare "Briar High" CD. The remastered recordings would be later available as the Paul Chastain & Rick Menck's Early Recordings "Hey Wimpus" in 1998. By 1989, Choo Choo Train had disbanded, but Menck and Chastain carried on together with Velvet Crush.

Songs
Briar Rose / Big Blue Buzz / Nothing Else! / Flower Field / Every Little Knight / Catch Another Breath

BRAM TCHAIKOVSKY - PARADISE THEATRE, BOSTON (1979)

Bram Tchaikovsky and his band toured the USA in 1979. The show was recorded at the Paradise Theatre in Boston, Ma on the 14th of October. It was aired on WNEW FM. The quality of the recording is quite excellent. Fifteen songs (12 well-known plus 2 covers such as Jimi Hendrix's Red House and Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock never offially recorded). The performance has never been officially released. I made a special artwork for the blog.

Lossy: ZS (147 mb)

Lossless: ZS1  + ZS2 + ZS3 (397 mb)

Songs

Strange Man Changed Man / Lonely Dancer / Bloodline / Borderline / Lady From The USA / Red House / Girl Of My Dreams / Sarah Smiles / Robber / Nobody Knows / I'm A Believer / Rock And Roll Cabaret / Sharon / Turn On The Light / Jailhouse Rock

BRAM TCHAIKOVSKY - THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING (1980)

"The Russians Are Coming" was released in 1980 with an added member. Dennis Forbes had been brought in to play guitar and The Rumour's Bob Andrews helped keyboards on the "Pressure" track. Due to the cold war of the time, the original title had to be changed to "Pressure" when it was released in the USA. The track list was also modified and a new artwork elaborated. Though not as brilliant as "Strange Man, Changed Man", this album had some fine songs (specially the great "Can't Give You Reasons"). The original british album was briefly reissued on CD in Japan, and is quite hard to find. "Pressure" was never reissued. This is a vinyl rip.

Songs
Let's Dance / Mister President / Misfortune / Hollywood Nightmare / The Russians Are Coming / Heartache /Letter From The USA / Can't Give You Reasons / Jeux Sans Frontieres / New-York Paranoia

JACK LEE'S GREATEST HITS VOL.1 (1981)

After the Nerves had split and following Blondie's success, Jack Lee slowly put together and released a "special limited edition of 10.000" of his first solo album entitled "Jack Lee's Greatest Hits Vol. 1", on a small label called Maiden America. This album was also released in France by Lolita records featured re-worked recordings of Nerves songs, as well as new material. Then Jack Lee released his second eponymous album in France only (available here). In 2007, Jack Lee took part in the Radio Heartbeat Power Pop Festival and is currently working on demos for a new CD.

Special Note
This is the original "Special Limited Edition" (Maiden America MA 1001) issue of the first Jack Lee LP. In 1992, the album was reissued coupled with the french Nerves LP and the Plimsouls Zero Hour 12" EP on the poorly mixed "That's Totally Pop!" CD by the french label Revenge (a subsidiary of Lolita Records).

Lossless : 1 - 2 (347 mb)

Songs
Good Times / Give Me Some Time / Come Back & Stay / Any Day Now / Stand Back & Take a Good Look / Hangin' On The Telephone / Woman / I'm Gonna Have Fun / Crime Doesn't Pay / Paper Dolls / It's Hot Outside

SNEAKERS (1976) (7" EP Carnivorous #1)

Chris Stamey, a casually effective singer and superlative melodicist, began in the collegiate Chapel Hill power pop legend Sneakers. Six quirky power pop originals engineered by Don Dixon, Sneakers was the first vinyl appearance of this seminal (if little-heard) band containing Stamey, drummer Will Rigby and (participating as a guest and family friend) Mitch Easter. The record boasts such lyrically anxious Stamey creations as "Love's Like a Cuban Crisis," "Condition Red" and "On the Brink." These recordings are taken from the original 7" EP. The same songs + the second "In The Red" 12" EP + nine other songs have been remastered and appear on the 2007 Sneakers compilation "Nonsequitur For Silence" available either from the official dB's website, from Not Lame or from any store online. The Sneakers recordings were also reissued around 1994 by the ESD label ("Racket" is now out of print) (Trouser Press)

Songs
Ruby / On The Brink / Love's Like A Cuban Crisis / Condition Red / Nonsequitur / Driving

JERRY NOLAN - TAKE A CHANCE WITH ME (1982)

Nolan quit the Heartbreakers soon after "L.A.M.F.", because he felt the album was poorly mixed. Whilst touring with Johnny Thunders in 1982, Nolan met stunning Swede Charlotte (Lotten) Nedeby, whom he soon married. Nolan would live in Sweden, off and on, through the eighties. There he also recorded a solo single of an old Heartbreakers' song "Take A Chance With Me" backed with "Pretty Baby". Jerry Nolan died in 1992.

Take A Chance With Me (Tandan Records Tan Sin 006)
Take A Chance With Me / Pretty Baby

HEARTBREAKERS - L.A.M.F. (1977) (The Original Track Records)

30 years ago, the Heartbreakers released L.A.M.F.,one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The original Track LP release is out of print and has never been reissued, thus becoming one of the hottest collector's item. Of course L.A.M.F. is now widely available, one being the "L.A.M.F Revisited" released in 1984 (reissued in 1994) a remix made by Johnny Thunders and Tony James (this is the mix sacrificing power and dynamics for clarity and also a rearranged track order), the other one being "The Lost '77 Mixes" released in 1994 by Jungle Records (a punchier and greasier version). But the problem remains, are the "Lost '77 Mixes" better than the original Track Records mix, in my humble opinion the original LP mix is and will always be the best. At the time of its release everyone wrote that the original mix was a total mess, but i totally disagree with that statement. According to many sources, it might be possible the problem of the original mix was due to a bad mastering and manufacturing of the original tapes. I have to say i listened carefully to my 12" single of "Chinese Rocks/Born To Lose" and it sounds incredibly powerful (more than the LP). Even the "One Track Mind" single mix is slightly different from the LP mix (i guess the mastering has something to do with this). Also according to a few lucky who were able to listen to the very rare Track cassette, the sound could be better than the 12" LP (i can't say anything about that last release 'cause i never listened to the cassette mix). The ones who have never heard the original mix will be able to compare it with the other two CD reissues. Please post your comments about the mix you prefer. If you have the cassette mix, i'll be more than happy to listen to it. I also included the "One Track Mind" single which adds two songs recorded at the original sessions but not used on the original album, those two songs were also included on both of the CD remix reissues. You can find on the Eternally Yours blog a very interesting extent to this feature.

Songs
Born Too Loose / Baby Talk / All By Myself / I Wanna Be Loved / It's Not Enough / Chinese Rocks / Get Off The Phone / Pirate Love / One Track Mind / I Love You / Goin' Steady / Let Go

One Track Mind EP
One Track Mind / Can't Keep My Eyes On You / Do You Love Me

ROBERT DERBY - I'M NORMAL (1980)

This early one-man album demonstrates what could be done in the pre-tech days by a crafty auteur with two tape decks, a basement and a lot of patience. Far worse-sounding albums have been recorded by rooms full of session pros in 32-track studios. If you dig LMNOP's catchy pop, then you'll enjoy Derby's light rock-pop which benefits from skillful arrangements and his multi instrumental prowess; underdeveloped material and a samey blandness are the record's shortcomings. (Cachalot later repackaged I'm Normal with the similarly solitary Ian North album My Girlfriend's Dead, overstating their achievements by titling the pair Modern Renaissance Men, but while Ian North's was reissued on CD, Robert Derby has never been reissued.) (Trouser Press)

Songs
Do Do It / You're A Loser / Take A Pill / Wendy / Chicken Love / I'm Normal / Dancin' / Out Of Mind / Media USA / Tiger Beat / Don't Bee / Barbie / Big Bad Bear / Youth In Asia

THE FOOLS
SOLD OUT (1980) HEAVY MENTAL (1981)

The Fools were Mike Gerard, Richie Bartlett, Stacy Pedrick, Chris Pedrick, and Doug Forman. The first album stands as a concise and well recorded musical statement by an important Boston group. Produced by Pete Solley, the band escaped the curse of New England groups suffering inferior recordings in major studios."Night Out" begins the album with a burst of three minute pop followed by "Fine With Me," "Don't Tell Me," and the title track, "Sold Out" -- all well-crafted pop songs with Beatles guitar lines and enough jangle to qualify them for underground pop rockers, somewhere between the radio friendliness of the Raspberries with the seriousness Badfinger brought to their work. For some strange reason, EMI-America put the song that established them in their hometown, a parody of the Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer," entitled "Psycho Chicken," as a 45 rpm inside the album jacket, but not included on the 12" vinyl. Years later, "Sold Out" stands as a very respectable and very important debut album. Pete Solley's pedestrian production on the 1980 release "Sold Out" is almost indiscernible when compared to Vini Poncia's presentation of the band a year later for the "Heavy Mental" album. They deserved national recognition and could have entertained the masses had EMI kept working their discs beyond the second release, "Heavy Mental". (excerpts from Joe Viglione AMG).

Note: special thanks to blog reader Todd who gave me the FLAC files of both albums ripped by uuughh, i converted those to mp3 after some little work (cleaning with clickrepair and channels normalized) on the audio. I made the artwork with the scans provided by Todd. As bonus, i included the clucked version of "Psycho Chicken" and the 7" version of "What I Tell Myself".

Links removed beacuse both albums have just been reissued on American Beat Records. Enjoy

Sold Out
Night Out / Fine With Me / Don't Tell Me / Sold Out / Sad Story / Psycho Chicken (beeped version) / Mutual of Omaha / It's a Night for Beautiful Girls / Spent the Rent / Easy for You / I Won't Grow Up / Psycho Chicken (clucked version)

Heavy Mental
Mind Control / Dressed in White / Around the Block / Local Talent / Lost Number / What I Tell Myself / Last Cadillac on Earth / Coming Home With Me / Running Scared / Tell Me You Love Me /Alibi / What I Tell Myself (single edit)